Gohan and Goten were sitting as anxiety took over their thoughts. Goku was at his max power level he has ever reached and they had to sit around waiting. "Gohan…"
"No."
"C'mon, you know they need us. Vegeta nearly killed himself a few moments ago!"
"Dad can handle this. He has too."
"Well it didn't work out so well last time."
Gohan gave Goten a look, ranging from telling him to quit being an ass and reminding him that he did even less damage than Goku could. Goten got up and started pacing again, his tail swinging back and forth erratically. Was this a hopeless battle?
Goku and Sixteen were locked in a clash of melee madness. Punches and kicks were exchanged at blinding speeds. Each one of Goku's blows caused roars of thunder. Vegeta scoffed at the power Goku displayed, even though they were practically at the same level, Super Saiyan 3 is an unfathomable power.
[Rampaging Rocket: Fist]
Sixteen shot his left fist at Goku, the impact felt like a build collapsing on too of you. Goku grabbed the fist and started flying towards Super Sixteen. Right before Sixteen could use [Detonate], Goku slammed the fist into Super Sixteen's face. The explosion engulfed both parties in a blast that was like a nuclear warhead going off.
Cypher's flying base was reduced to half it's size as Goku and Sixteen were fighting too close for the Doctor's comfort. Cypher took out an escape pod and launched a safe distance away from the fight. Maybe equipping Super Sixteen with enough power to demolish the world in three days time wasn't the best idea.
Super Sixteen's left arm morphed into a cannon that fired ki blasts hot enough to melt titanium in an instant. "Hell Flash!" He fired a ball of ki the size of a cannon ball towards Goku, the Saiyan quickly fired off a Super Kamehameha at the blast. Once the blue beam hit Super Sixteen's attack, the blast expanded to the size of the moon causing a crater to form under it. Goku was excited to find someone to test his full power out against, but this was unreasonable. Even for Goku.
'This is insane. Me and Kakarot cannot beat this machine?!' Vegeta thought angrily to himself. They finally got Marron out but they were being torn apart at the seems. Was there no one who could win?
Right as Vegeta started to slowly lose hope, Goku and Sixteen were headed for the center of the crater. Goku was punching Sixteen in the face over and over. It was starting to look hopeful, Super Sixteen had taken major damage. The only problem was Goku had taken the same if not more damage then Sixteen.
"So, your sight is completely gone now. How are you still able to lock onto me?"
"Scanning for ki. You are so close and so powerful that it shows you almost completely clear."
Goku and Sixteen were back at fighting, there were no more words that needed to be exchanged. Goku started to pump ungodly amounts of ki into each one of his attacks. His aura has diminished since he ascended to Super Saiyan 3. The lightning that surrounded Goku's body had faded, and his blazing golden aura was hardly visible. Super Sixteen wasn't in any better shape. A large piece of his back was missing, chips and wires were hanging out of his left eye and his right shoulder, finally his right eye was on the fritz.
Goku didn't know how long he could hold his Super Saiyan 3, but he knew he was close to beating Sixteen. He leaned back into a Kamehameha stance ready to charge it to whatever power he had left. Before the attack started to charge, the long locks of Super Saiyan 3 vanished. Goku was now back in base form without enough power to finish the super Cyborg off. "D-Damn…"
A fast, yellow flash whizzed past Goku and knocked Sixteen back. Goku was surprised that his son remembered how Sixteen located them in the first place. Goten had arrived, keeping his ki at an undetectable level, standing in the Flying Nimbus. Super Sixteen's vision was still out of commission and he was left confused on what hit him. "Goten, what gave you the idea to bring the Nimbus?"
"Well…" The teen Saiyan scratched his cheek and grinned at his father, "it was the only way to sneak away from Gohan!" Goku began to laugh until Dr. Cypher flew in close, she shot some weird bullet at Super Sixteen. It was a microchip that fixed the Cyborg's vision with a "kill point" scouter attached. The bullet-bot began repairing Sixteen's left eye and eventually positioned itself around it.
In the blink of an eye Sixteen vanished and hit Goten through the yellow cloud, then hit him into the wall of the crater off the bounce. When the dust cleared Goten was in his Super Saiyan state, hair spiked up and tail glowing gold. 'We really needs Korin to teach a few of us how to grow Senzu Beans…'
Goten dashed at Sixteen unleashing a combo of punches and ki blasts. Nothing was effective because the blow was either dodged or parried. Sixteen had yet to counter, leaving Goten with a sense of hope. Goten finished off his assault with a Kamehameha that pushed Sixteen back enough so the Saiyan could recollect himself. His golden hair wasn't as sharp or as bright. The teen was trying to make his energy last as long as he could, but Super Sixteen wasn't easy to damage. Any damage Goten was able to inflict was thanks to his Father turning Super Saiyan 3 and going all out. 'Trunks learned it by trying to prove Vegeta wrong. How can I access Super Saiyan 2?'
From a distance the two fighters heard two gun shots. Krillin and Eighteen screamed out in pain as Lucy Cypher dragged Marron away once more. The crazy Doctor was yelling about how awful Marron was, she was the daughter of a Cyborg and yet she was just a weak human. Goten dashed off towards Marron and Cypher before anything bad could happen. Just as Dr. Lucy held up her gun towards Marron, Goten grasped it and used a ki blast to destroy the gun. Cypher's hand was severely burned by Goten's attack.
"You rotten Monkey! You should just leave!"
Lucy fell to the ground as she clutched the burnt hand. This teenaged Half-Breed has single handedly ruined her plans. He ruined multiples of Sixteen's upgrades and has even brought in allies that caused just as much, if not more, trouble along side him. Lucy called out for Sixteen, "Over here Sixteen!"
Super Sixteen grabbed Goten's tail from the base, his hand ablaze with fire and ki. Goten screamed out in pain as his tail turned to ash. Super Sixteen kicked him to the ground and dropped the burning tail before Goten's eyes. Dr. Cypher limped up to Super Sixteen, "forget about the girl, she isn't what we thought she was." Cypher paused to look at the teen that caused the most trouble for her, "kill her after you kill him."
She was gone after that. Goten coughed out a "No" but Super Sixteen ignored it. Goten heard Marron cry out for anyone to save her, He couldn't tell if she was actually there or he was imagining things. Goten's eyes laid on the pink bow that started to burn in the ashes of his tail.
Goten remembers all sorts of things about Marron when he looks at the bow, he has never taken it off since the day Pan and her snuck it on to his tail. Marron's smile flashed before his eyes. Her intense blue eyes that reminded him of a softer Eighteen. The way she would punch him when he did something stupid. She used to do it a lot when they were younger, but he thinks that Marron stopped because he has matured. That wasn't the case. Marron would hurt her fist the older Goten had become.
Goten remembers the first time he saw that bow in Marron's hair. It was summertime and extremely hot. Her hair was a bit longer back then…
Marron had skipped up to Goten and Trunks during one of Bulma's Birthday Bashes. She had been excited to show off her new bow since the moment she had received it. She was about 8 maybe even 9, while Goten was 12 and Trunks 13.
"Hi guys! Notice anything?"
Trunks shook his head no, while Goten scratched his head. He tilt his head to the left, "Did you rip your dress again?"
Marron smacked Goten's head and Trunks' arm. She was finally understanding boys at a young age, they were complete morons. Goten was rubbing his head when he perked up, "oh! Is that a new bow?"
Marron smiled when Goten figured it out but Trunks interrupted her moment of joy, "Don't burn this one Goten!"
Goten sighed as he tried to stand up, 'Now I gotta apologize for burning another one of Marron's bows… Why does she trust me?'
Super Sixteen held up his hand, "any words for the girl before her death?" Goten shot up to Sixteen's eyes, his face was cover in bruises and panic. The Cyborg walked over to Marron, she was actually close by which made Goten even more desperate. The cannon arm was charging up in front of Marron's face, tears streaming down her face, "Say good bye, Girl."
Goten's body erupted in a dense, unbreathable golden ki that sent shockwaves knocking Super Sixteen flying back. When the Cyborg locked onto Goten, the Saiyan's hair was spiked up even further than before. Goten stood there with a death glare towards Super Sixteen. Small pulses of lightning coated the Saiyan, he looked at his right palm, "with this power i will stop you..."
Goten made a fist and the lightning became a steady stream around his body. Super Sixteen prepared a rocket to fire, but in an instant Goten was in front of him with his fist plunged into his gut. When the cyborg went to look at the Saiyan, he wasn't there but was back in the exact same spot he was a second ago. Super Sixteen opened up his mouth to shout at Goten, but once again the Saiyan was directly on top of him. His foot kicking Super Sixteen's face with enough force to send the cyborg hundreds of meters away. Super Sixteen got ready to fight back, and once again Goten was in the exact same spot as before.
How was this possible? This teen has never shown anything like this before. Sixteen calculated how much his power had risen, one hundred fold. This half-Saiyan was flooded with emotion and a power one hundred fold of what he normally has.
"She's my friend, y'know." Goten appeared above Sixteen, fist glowing in a solid ball of blue ki. The Cyborg dashed backwards out of the Saiyan's range, when another high power level came from the back. A white aura with blue lightning knocked Super Sixteen into Goten's punch.
Gohan stood opposite of Goten donning a purple gi like the one Piccolo had given him for the Cell Games, "He has taken someone close to me too, Goten!"
"Sorry, Gohan. Can I make it up to you later?"
The two Son brothers were leaving themselves open, so Sixteen fired a missile at Goten and a Hell Flash at Gohan. The two Saiyans dodged the attacks and appeared in front of and behind of Sixteen. They let out all their rage in a ki filled melee rush that picked away at Sixteen. Gohan's left fist mirrored Goten's right and vice versa. They hadn't realized it yet, but the impacts of their attacks were causing little pockets of ki to build up in Super Sixteen's body.
The brothers jump back on opposite sides once more, they began charging their own Super Kamehameha.
"Ka…me… Ha…me…"
Super Sixteen tried to move, but the pockets of ki were burning away his circuits and joints. Both Gohan and Goten fired their attack on "Ha" and the beams collided on both sides of Sixteen. The beams and small ki blasts inside started a chain reaction. A blue dome of ki with small yellow and orange balls around it engulfed Sixteen.
Gohan had powered down, and Goten ran out of energy. Back in base form they watched and hoped that Sixteen was finally defeated. There he stood, charred metal and melted skin peeling off of his face. This machine just would not die. How could there be anything so powerful built? Why go after Marron when something like this was possible to make?
[Threat Level: Accepted] Sixteen's core started to glow in the center of all the charred metal, [Operation: FAILSAFE; Activate] Sixteen began to reach critical levels, Eighteen was holding her shoulder watching what was happening.
"GOTEN! GOHAN! HE IS GONING TO BLOW UP!"
Goten and Gohan tried to run but they were running on past empty. As Sixteen became even more critical Trunks landed in front of them, clutching his broken arm and holding a capsule.
[DETONATE]
Trunks clicked and tossed the capsule, trapping Super Sixteen in a energy barrier bubble. The explosion was sealed off by the barrier but it was stronger than the barrier Bulma made. Goten, Gohan, and Trunks were caught in the dome of fire.
The aftermath was rough, Goten, Gohan, Trunks, and Vegeta were bed bound as Goku was energy deprived. Eighteen and Krillin were patched up and sent home, they put Marron to bed once they entered Kame House. The Saiyan room was dark and sullen. Pride was broken, wounds that would last a long time, and guilt baring on shoulders.
Why did it happen to them? Goten reflected back to Marron's dance he escorted her too. They were having so much fun and Goten really thought he could ask her out to dinner or a movie. The question that plagued the young Saiyan's mind was whether it was he who drew Super Sixteen to Marron or was it destined to happen.
"Goootennnnn" Trunks put a heavy, and annoying hum on the n. Goten looked over to Trunks and the others.
"Hmm?"
"How's your muscles? Super Saiyan 2 did just as much damage as Sixteen." Gohan nodded to the food next to his brother. It was untouched and Goku looked like he could start drooling at any second. Goten nodded to the food and Goku took it back to his bed. The youngest Saiyan struggled to get up and walked towards the door, "I'm going for a walk…"
Gohan and Trunks tried to stop Goten, but they were in as bad shape as he was and couldn't get out of the bed. So how could he ignore such pain? They were covered in 2nd and 3rd degree burns from the explosion plus any other injury before it. What could be driving him to push so hard?
"He's got more Saiyan Spirit than you two combined." Vegeta scolded them as if he read their thoughts.
"Wait, Dad… That's the same kid you said had more rocks in his head than Goku. Then you ranted about how dense the rocks were in Gomu's head…"
"This is different. He has a drive now."
Marron hugged her knees to her chest. It had been 3 days since she last slept. Nightmares plagued her every thought. Goten becoming that monster, Sixteen threatening her, Cypher…
But these were not nightmares, they were memories. Eighteen would tell her she needs sleep, but every time she closed her eyes a new memory would be warped by her sleep deprived paranoia. Could Cypher come back? Could Sixteen come back? Would Goten ever succumb to that monster? She shook her head to rid these thoughts, but only tears fell down her face. 'What's wrong with me?'
Marron finally let her mother sleep with her. Eighteen looked about as deprived as Marron. Could she hear her crying? Marron knew this was okay, but at the same time it was still embarrassing. Does she have the strength to overcome these dark memories?
= = =5 Weeks Later = = =
Eighteen slept with Marron in her bed every night since they got home. She was just as scared as Marron is, but was that it? Could this be the end of the danger? It was too easy. Eighteen was awoken by screaming, it was Marron. It had to be common after what she went through. Tonight had been one of the tougher nights. Eight sensed Goten sotting on the roof just like every night for the past month.
Eighteen could picture Goten, head and chest covered in bandages, wearing some light blue hospital pajama pants, and the guilt of a hundred sins. She calmed her daughter down and called for Krillin. After Krillin promised to watch over Marron, Eighteen flew up to the roof.
"You don't have to be here, we can watch over her. It is our job."
"…"
"Go home, Goten. You need your rest."
Eighteen tried to get him going but he didn't budge. Eighteen went to climb back in the window, "It isn't your fault you know."
Marron sat by her window one night, she felt a presence but she couldn't tell who it was. "Why are you here every night?" She called out. That's when she heard Goten speak to her.
"I have to make sure you are safe."
"I-I'm fine… Dummy." Marron's voice cracked from crying and her doubts. She never doubted Goten before, so why now?
"I lost my tail." Marron was surprised, she thought his tail was cute but then he turned into that monster, "I'm sorry that I got your bow set on fire… Again."
Marron smiled. She remember the first bow that Goten burned, she was 6.
Goten and Marron were roasting marshmallows while Trunks was looking for the chocolate. Marron kept asking about gram crackers too, but Trunks said they were unnecessary to the perfect S'more. Marron took off her bow and set it on the table so it wouldn't get dirty from the smoke.
Goten's marshmallow was over roasted and set on fire. So the logical thing to dk was throw it on the table. Marron's bow caught it like it was trying to save it. That pretty pink bow didn't make it.
"…way, you should sleep." Goten sounded so mature in that moment, and Marron missed the first half. 'I think I love him… But I'm too afraid of him…'
The whole Z gang was up on the Lookout with all Seven Dragon balls. Dende set them up and called out, "Arise, Shenron! Grant me my wish!"
The seven orange orbs started to glow bright yellow as the skies turned black. A yellow lightning bolt shot out from the seven balls, it twisted and coiled until it revealed a giant green dragon with red eyes, "What is your wish?"